The State Innovation Exchange (SiX), a group working with state legislators to advance progressive policies across the country, compiled the list. SiX was formed in an effort to counter the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), a group that crafts and pushes conservative, corporate-friendly state legislation.

"We are convinced that progressives are right on the issues and the SiX review of the states bears that out. From advancing the economic security of working families to improving access to voting we saw that even in a map that is deeply red, progressives were able to achieve some important policy victories in 2015," SiX Executive DirectorNick Rathod said in a statement. "I'm confident that as SiX grows and is able to better resource, train and organize legislators around the country, we can help to see that progressives are able to achieve more of the types of policy victories like those that made the list this year."

As Gov. Pat Quinn continues to mull over his decision to sign legislation abolishing the death penalty, the conversation about what to with the 15 men currently sitting on death row in Illinois is heating up, too.

With the state's death penalty system hanging in the balance, it's
worth remembering the troubled reign of Jon Burge. First documented by
legendary Chicago reporter John Conroy, a special prosecutor's probe
found that the now-infamous former Chicago Police commander oversaw the
systemic torture of dozens of criminal suspects during the 1970s and
1980s.